The Cecil Whig., 1887-11-05
BEAUTIFUL OLD WOMEN.

BEAUTIFUL OLD WOMEN.
In autumn the thoughts lightly turn |
to Age. If the drawer has seemed to be
interested, sometimes to the neglect of
other topics, in the American young wo-
man, it was not because she is interested
in herself, but because she is on the way
to be one of the most agreeable objects in
this world Ste may struggle against it, !
she may resist by all the legitimate arts
of the coquette and the chemist; she may
be convinced that youth and beauty are
inseparabIe allies; but she would have
more patience if she reflected that the
sunset is often finer than the sunrise,
commonly finer than noon, especially after
q stormy day. The secret of a beautiful
of charming young maidenhood. For
it is one of the compensations for the rest
of us, in the decay of this mortal life,
that women whose mission it is to allure
in youth and to tinge the beginning OF
the world with romance, also makes the
end of the world more sereDely satisfac-
tory and beautiful than the outset. And
this has been done without any amend
ment to the Constitution of the United
States; in tact, it is possible that the
Sixteenth Amendment would rather
hinder than help this gracious process.
We are not speaking now of what is
called growing old gracefully and regret
fully. as something to be endured, but as
a season to be desired for itself, at least
by those whose privilege it is to be en-
nobled and cheered by it. And we are
not speaking OF wicked old women.
There is a unique fascination-all the
Rovelists recognize tin wicked old
woman; not very wicked, but woman of
abundant experience, who is perfectly
frank and little cynical, and delights in
probing human nature and flashing her
wit on its weaknesses, and who knows as
much about life as club man is credited
with knowing. She may not be good
comrade for the young, but she is i'm
mensely more fascinating than semi
wicked old man. Why, we do not know;
that is one of the unfathomable mys-
teries of womanhood. No; we have in
mind quite another sort of woman, of
which America has so many that they
are very noticeable element in all cul-
tivated society. And the world has moth
ing more lovely than they. For there is
loveliness or fascination sometimes in
women between the ages of sixty and
eighty that is unlike any other-a charm
that wooes us to regard autumn as beau
ful as spring.
Perhaps these women were great beau
ties in their day, but scarcely SO serenely
beautiful as now when age has refined all
that was most attractive. Perhaps they
were plain; but it does not matter, for
the subtle influence of spiritualized intel
ligence has the power of Transforming
plainness into the beauty of old age.
Physical beauty is doubtless a great ad
vantage, and it is never loss if mind
shines through it (there is nothing so
unlovely as frivolous old woman fight
ing to keep the skin-deep beauty OF her
YOUTH the eyes, if the life has not been
one of physical suffering, usually retain
their power of moving appeal; the lines
of the face, if changed, may be refined
by certain spirituality; the gray hair
gives dignity and softness and the charm
of.contrast; the low sweet voice vibrates
to the same note of femininity, and the
graceful and gracious are graceful and
bearing of the plain woman whose mind
has grown, whose thoughts have been
pure, whose heart has been expanded by
good deeds or by constant affection,
comes beauty winning and satisfactory
in the highest degree.
1t is not that the charm Of the women
of whom we speak Is mainly this physi
cal beauty; that is only incidental, as it
were. The delight in their society has q
variety of sources. Their interest in life
is broader than it ouce was, more sym
pathetically unselfsh; they have GER
tain philosophical serenity that is not in-
consistent with great liveliness of mind;
they have got rid of SO much nonsense;
they can afford to be truthful-ard how
much there is to be learned from wo-
man who is truthful! they have a most
delicious courage of opinion, about men,
say, and in politics, and social topics, and
creeds even. They have very little any
longer to conceal; that is in regard to
things that should be thought about and
talked about at all. They are not afraid
to be gay, and to have enthusiasms At
sixty and eighty refined and we'll bred
woman is emancipated in the best way,
and in the enjoyment of the full play OF
the richest qualities of her womanhood.
She is as far from nrudery as from the
least note of vulgarity Passion, per-
haps. is replaced by great capacity for
friendliness, and she was never more a
real woman than in these mellow and re-
Elective days. And how interesting she
is-adding 80 much knowledge of life to
the complex interest that lnheres IN her
sex. knowledge of life. yes, and of af-
fairs; for it must be said of these ladies
we have in our mind that they keep up
with the current thought, that they are
readers of books. even of newspapers
for even the newspaper can be helpful
and not harmful in the alembic of their
minds.
The peach, from blossom to maturity,
is the most attractive OF fruits. Yet the
demands of the market, competition, and
fashion often cause it to be plucked and
shipped while green. 1t never natures,
though it may take deceptive richn ess
of color; it decays without ripening.
And the last end of that peach is worse
than the tirss.-Charles Dudley Warner,
in Harper's Magazine for Nocemder.